Indulge your #winederlust with these wine show must-haves

CAPE TOWN - Attending wine shows can be daunting. After all, premiere events like the TOPS at SPAR Wine Show presented by Cape Times, which takes place from 14 to 16 December 2017 at Sun Park, GrandWest, showcase a vast selection of different wines.

But navigating the virtual vineyards of #Winederland and picking up a couple of bottles of SA’s best, need not be cause for grape concern, for there are a number of tools designed to help you along the way.

To ensure a d’vine experience, make sure you get your hands on these three winning wine must-haves (they’ll ensure you blend right in!):

The ultimate wine guide: Platter's SA Wine Guide 2017

It helps to do your homework before you arrive at Winederland. The Platter's SA Wine Guide 2017 makes this an absolute cinch. With more than 8 000 wines listed, rated and described in the guide, along with an informative introduction on each producer, Platter’s literally arms you with everything you need to know about SA’s best wines. A handy index at the back, listing the wines by variety, makes for a quick and easy reference, while the intro upfront will guide you through the latest wine trends in SA.

Your personal wine butler: the Platter’s app

This innovative app puts Platter’s in your pocket, giving you instant access to tons of great info about the wines on show. See a wine you like? Great! Get out your phone and use the app to find out everything you need to know about the wine right there and then, on the spot. Read what the Platter’s expert tasters have to say about it, and then make your own notes about the wine, rating it on the app. You can also mark your favourite wines as seen at the show to remember for next time.

Your post-show pundit: Everything You Wanted to Know about Wine but Were too Afraid to Ask...

This fun guide completes your Winederland experience by answering all the questions you forgot (or were too embarrassed to ask!) at the show. Light-hearted but still informative, it answers questions like ‘will wine make me fat?’, ‘how long should I keep my wine?’, ‘is wine better than beer?’, ‘how do I order the right wine in a restaurant?’, ‘which wine pairs best with KFC?’ and many more!

Andrew Douglas, TOPS at SPAR Wine Show owner and wine marketing innovator, says these essential guides ensure an enjoyable wine show experience for every Winederland visitor, from newcomers to connoisseurs.

“Wine shows shouldn’t be intimidating. They’re wonderful experiences that allow consumers to personally interact with their favourite wines and the people behind them, as well as discover new wines in a fun, informative way. We’re delighted to be teaming up with Platter’s this year, and to be able to offer our visitors access to these fantastic tools that make the Winederland experience so much better,” says Andrew.